Systems and methods for automatically generating order data based on social media messaging

ABSTRACT

The disclosed embodiments include computerized methods and systems that facilitate automate trade-order entry and execution based on social media messaging. In an embodiment, an apparatus identifies a first social media message associated with a social networking account of a user and including at least one parameter of a transaction to purchase or sell one or more securities. The apparatus may generate proposed transaction parameters that include the at least one transaction parameter included in the first social media message, and may obtain information confirming the proposed transaction parameters from the user. In response to the confirmation, the apparatus may generate one or more electronic commands to initiate the transaction to purchase or sell the one or more securities in accordance with the confirmed transaction parameters.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 62/201,392, filed Aug. 5, 2015, which is expresslyincorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

DESCRIPTION

Technical Field

The disclosed embodiments generally relate to computerized systems andmethods that generate trade orders for electronic trading platforms, andmore particularly, and without limitation, computerized systems andmethods that facilitate automated trade-order entry and execution basedon social media messaging.

Background

Today, timely and accurate execution of trade orders is essential notonly for financial institutions, but also for clients of these financialinstitutions and for individual investors, Further, many investors adoptsocial media technologies as real-time sources of information and news,which may inform the investors' decisions related to investmentportfolio management. As the speed of these social-media-based sourcesof information and news increases in parallel with the speed ofelectronic trading platforms, inefficiencies related to manualtrade-order entry and execution may place individual investors at acompetitive disadvantage within the marketplace.

SUMMARY

The disclosed embodiments relate to computerized systems and methodsthat facilitate automated trade-order entry and execution based onsocial media messaging.

In an embodiment, an apparatus includes at least one processor and amemory storing executable instructions that, when executed by the atleast one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform thestep of obtaining a first social-media message comprising a retweet of asecond social-media message. In some aspects, the first social-mediamessage may be associated with a social-networking account of a user andmay be generated by a device of the user. The executed instructions mayfurther cause the at least one processor to perform the steps ofextracting, from the first social media message, data identifying atleast one parameter of an action involving one or more securities, andgenerating proposed parameters for the action. In certain aspects, theproposed parameters may include the at least one parameter extractedfrom the first social-media message. The executed instructions mayfurther cause the at least one processor to perform the steps ofreceiving, from the user device, information confirming the proposedparameters, and generating one or more electronic commands to initiatethe action involving the one or more securities in accordance with theconfirmed parameters.

In other embodiments, computer-implemented method includes obtaining, byat least one processor, a first social-media message comprising aretweet of a second social-media message. In some aspects, the firstsocial-media message may be associated with a social networking accountof a user and may be generated by a device of the user. The method mayalso include extracting, by the at least one processor, and from thefirst social media message, data identifying at least one parameter ofan action involving one or more securities, and generating, by the atleast one processor, proposed parameters for the action. In certainaspects, the proposed parameters ma include the at least one parameterextracted from the first social-media message. Additionally, the methodmay include receiving, by the at least one processor, and from the userdevice, information confirming the proposed parameters, and generating,by the at least one processor, one or more electronic commands toinitiate the action involving the one or more securities in accordancewith the confirmed parameters.

In further embodiments, a system includes a first computing device and asecond computing device. The first computing device may receivesocial-media data from at least one social-networking server across acommunications network, and in some aspects, the social-media data mayinclude a plurality of social media messages. In further aspects, thesecond computing device may be in communication with the first computingdevice. The second computing device may include at least one processorand a memory storing executable instructions that, when executed by theat least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform thestep of detecting an occurrence of at least one predetermined hashtagwithin a first one of the social-media messages received by the firstapparatus. In certain aspects, the first social-media message may beassociated with a social-networking account of a user. The executedinstructions may further cause the at least one processor to perform thesteps of extracting, from the first social media message, dataidentifying at least one parameter of an action involving one or moresecurities, and generating proposed parameters for the action. Theproposed parameters may, in one aspect, include the at least oneparameter extracted from the first social-media message. The executedinstructions may further cause the at least one processor to perform thesteps of receiving, from a device of the user, information confirmingthe proposed parameters, and generating one or more electronic commandsto initiate the action involving the one or more securities inaccordance with the confirmed parameters.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram of an exemplary computing environment, consistentwith disclosed embodiments.

FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C are diagrams of exemplary social media messages,consistent with disclosed embodiments.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of an exemplary process for generating tradeorders based on social-media data, consistent with disclosedembodiments.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are diagrams of exemplary notifications, consistent withdisclosed embodiments.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Reference will now be made in detail to the disclosed embodiments,examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The samereference numbers in the drawings and this disclosure are intended torefer to the same or like elements, components, and/or parts.

In this application, the use of the singular includes the plural unlessspecifically stated otherwise. In this application, the use of “or”means “and/or” unless stated otherwise. Furthermore, the use of the term“including,” as well as other forms such as “includes” and “included,”is not limiting. In addition, terms such as “element” or “component”encompass both elements and components comprising one unit, and elementsand components that comprise more than one subunit, unless specificallystated otherwise. Additionally, the section headings used herein are fororganizational purposes only, and are not to be construed as limitingthe subject matter described.

I. Exemplary Computing Environments, Networks, Systems, and Devices

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary computing environment 100 consistentwith certain disclosed embodiments. In one aspect, computing environment100 may include client device 104, system 140, social networking system160, and a communications network 120 connecting one or more of thecomponents of environment 100.

a. Exemplary Client Devices

In one embodiment, client device 104 may be a computing device, such as,but not limited to, a personal computer, a laptop computer, a tabletcomputer, a notebook computer, a hand-held computer, a personal digitalassistant, a portable navigation device, a mobile phone, a smart phone,a wearable computing device (e.g., a smart watch, a wearable activitymonitor, wearable smart jewelry, and glasses and other optical devicesthat include optical head-mounted displays (OHMDs), an embeddedcomputing device (e.g., in communication with a smart textile orelectronic fabric), and any other type of computing device that may beconfigured to store data and software instructions, execute softwareinstructions to perform operations, and/or display information on adisplay device(s), consistent with disclosed embodiments. In certainembodiments, client device 104 may be associated with one or more users,such as user 110. For instance, user 110 may operate client device 104and may do so to cause client device 104 to perform one or moreoperations consistent with the disclosed embodiments.

Client device 104 may include one or more tangible, non-transitorymemories that store data and/or software instructions, and one or moreprocessors configured to execute software instructions. Client device104 may include one or more display devices that display information toa user and one or more input device(s) to allow the user to inputinformation to client device 104 (e.g., keypad, keyboard, touchscreen,voice activated control technologies, or any other type of known inputdevice).

In one aspect, client device 104 may store in memory one or moresoftware applications that run on client device 104 and are executed bythe one or more processors. In some aspects, client device 104 may storesoftware applications that, when executed by one or more processors,perform operations that allow user 110 (through client device 104) tointeract with business entity 150 through, for example, a computingdevice, such as server 142 or other computing component(s) of system140. In certain aspects, additional software applications may, whenexecuted by client device 104, cause client device 104 to sendinformation to be stored in a memory remote to client device 104 and/orreceive information stored in a memory remote to client device 104(e.g., memory associated with server 142, such as data repository 144).In other aspects, additional software applications may, when executed byclient device 104, cause client device 104 to establish communicationswith social networking system 160 (e.g., through a correspondingapplication programming interface (API)) and facilitate user 110'sinteraction with an electronic social network through data exchangedwith social networking system 160. The disclosed embodiments are,however, not limited to such exemplary configurations, and in furtherembodiments, client device 104 may be configured in any additional oralternate manner to enable communication and data exchange with system140 across network 120.

b. Exemplary Computer Systems

System 140 may be a computing system configured to execute softwareinstructions to perform one or more operations consistent with disclosedembodiments. In one aspect, system 140 may be associated with a businessentity 150 (e.g., a financial institution) that provides financialaccounts, financial services transactions, and investment services oneor more users (e.g., customers of business entity 150). In some aspects,system 140 may be a distributed system that may include computingcomponents distributed across one or more networks, such as network 120,or other networks.

In one aspect, system 140 may include computing components configured tostore, maintain, and generate data and software instructions. Forexample, system 140 may include one or more servers (e.g., server 142)and tangible, non-transitory memory devices (e.g., data repository 144).Server 142 may include one or more computing devices that may beconfigured to execute software instructions to perform one or moreprocesses consistent with the disclosed embodiments. In one example,server 142 may be a computing device that executes software instructionsthat perform operations that provides information to one or more othercomponents of computing environment 100.

In one embodiment, server 142 may include a computer (e.g., a server,personal computer, network computer, or mainframe computer) having oneor more processors that may be selectively activated or reconfigured bya computer program. In one aspect, server 142 (or other computingcomponents of system 140) may be configured to provide one or morewebsites, digital portals, etc., that provide services consistent withbusiness entity 150, such as a digital banking or investment portal, andservices consistent with disclosed embodiments. For instance, server 142may be configured to provide information associated with a requested webpage over communications network 120 to client device 104, which mayrender the received information and present content from the web page ona display device, e.g., a touchscreen display unit.

In other aspects, server 142 (or other computing components of system140) may be configured to provide information to one or more applicationprograms executed by client device 104 (e.g., through a correspondingapplication programming interface (API)). For example, client device 104may execute an application program associated with and provided bybusiness entity 150, such a mobile banking and/or investmentapplication, to provide services to user 110 consistent with thedisclosed embodiments. In some instances, server 142 may provideinformation to client device 104 (e.g., through the API associated withthe executed application program), and client device 104 may beconfigured by the executed application program to present portions ofthe information to user 110 through a corresponding graphical userinterface (GUI).

In further aspects, server 142 (or other computing components of system140) may be configured to provide to client device 104 (and/or receivefrom client device 104) information associated with services provided bybusiness entity 150. For example, client device 104 may receive thetransmitted information, and store portions of the information inlocally accessible storage device and/or network-accessible storagedevices and data repositories (e.g., cloud-based storage). In oneinstance, client device 104 may execute stored instructions (e.g., anapplication program, a web browser, and/or a mobile banking application)to process portions of the stored data and render portions of the storeddata for presentation to user 110. Additionally, server 142 may beincorporated as a corresponding node in a distributed network, andadditionally or alternatively, as a corresponding networked server in acloud-computing environment. Furthermore, server 142 may communicate vianetwork 120 with one or more additional servers (not shown), which mayfacilitate the distribution of processes for parallel execution by theadditional servers.

c. Exemplary Data Repositories and Stored Data

Data repository 144 may include one or more memories that are configuredto store and provide access to data and/or software instructions. Suchmemories may include tangible non-transitory computer-readable mediathat store software instructions that, when executed by one or moreprocessors (e.g., of server 132), perform one or more operationsconsistent with disclosed embodiments. Data repository 144 may also beconfigured to store information relating to business entity 150, e.g., afinancial institution. For example, data repository 144 may beconfigured to store data identifying customers of the financialinstitution, financial account data associated with the customers,investment portfolio data associated with the customers, and dataindicative of social-networking activity of the customers.

In one aspect, data repository 144 may store customer data that uniquelyidentify customers of a financial institution associated with system140. By way of example, a customer of the financial institution (e.g.,user 110) may access a web page associated with system 140 (e.g.,through a web server executed by a corresponding front end), and mayregister for digital banking services and provide data, which may belinked to user 110 and stored as customer data within data repository144. The stored customer data may, for example, include personalinformation, government-issued identifiers, employment information, andcontact information. Customer data 144A may also include authenticationcredentials associated with registered users of the financialinstitution (e.g., a user name, a user-specified password, asystem-generated password, an alphanumeric identification number (e.g.,a PIN number) specified by user 110 or assigned by financial system 140,and information facilitating enhanced authentication techniques).

Data repository 144 may also store account data identifying one or moreaccounts of users of the financial institution associated with system140. In one embodiment, account identification information may includeinformation associated with a financial service account, such as, forexample, a checking account, a savings account, a revolving credit line,an account linked to a credit or debit card, an investment account, abrokerage account, and any additional or alternate account provided orsupported by the financial institution.

In additional aspects, data repository 144 may store portfolio data thatidentifies investment portfolios held by customers of the financialinstitution. In one aspect, the stored portfolio data may includeinformation identifying a real or “actual” investment portfolio composedof actual financial positions held by a user in various securities. Infurther aspects, the portfolio data may include information identifyingone or more “virtual” investment portfolios composed of “simulated”positions held by user 110 in various securities. In some aspects, datarepository 144 may also store portfolio data identifying one or more“watch lists” that specify various securities monitored by user 110 andcorresponding simulated positions held by user 110 in these varioussecurities.

In certain embodiments, the securities associated with user 110's actualinvestment portfolio, virtual investment portfolio, and watch list mayrepresent various equity and debt securities. In some aspects, equityand debt securities consistent with the disclosed embodiments mayinclude, but are not limited to, shares of common stock, corporate orgovernmental bonds, mutual funds, bond funds, preferred stock,debentures, warrants, options, exchange traded funds (ETFs), and anyadditional or alternate equity or debt security associated with arecognized and/or registered security identifier,

Further, portfolio data 144C may include information identifying thesimulated or actual positions held by user 110 in these securities, aswell as information identifying a schedule for providing electronicupdates to user 110 regarding a performance of these securities. By wayof example, the electronic updates may be provided by system 140 toclient device 104 in real-time or in near-real time. For instance, oneor more of the near-real-time updates provide by system 140 may includefrequent and/or cached updates of real-time prices of the securities,which may be stale by a predefined time (every second, every 30 seconds,every minute, etc.). In other instances, system 140 may be configured toprovide one or more of the electronic updates to client device 104 atpredetermined intervals (e.g., daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, etc.)and/or in response to customer-specific events. Further, in someinstances, system 140 may delay the provision of one or more of theelectronic updates to client device 104 by a predetermined time period(e.g., by fifteen or twenty minutes), and additionally or alternatively,system 140 may provide one or more of the electronic updates to clientdevice 104 at an end of a trading day on a corresponding market.

Data repository 144 may also store social networking data indicative ofan interaction of customers of the financial institution with one ormore social networks (e.g., Twitter™, Facebook™, FourSquare™,Instagram™, Tumblr™, LinkedIn™, etc.). For example, user 110 may be aregular user of Twitter™, and upon registration for digital bankingservices, user 110 may provide system 140 with a corresponding Twitter™handle. Further, through a web page or other interface presented byclient 104, user 110 may grant system 140 access to informationassociated with user 110's Facebook™ and Twitter™ accounts, whichincludes, but is not limited to the individuals and entities followed byuser 110 (e.g., by providing system 140 with correspondingauthentication credentials, which include, but are not limited to usernames and/or handles and passwords).

In certain aspects, system 140 may establish customer profile data forone of more of the customers of business entity 150 (e.g., a financialinstitution), which system 140 may be stored in data repository 144 andadditionally or alternatively, in an external data repository accessibleto system 140 across network 120 (e.g., cloud-based storage). Forexample, system 140 may establish a customer profile data for user 110that includes all or a portion of user 110's stored customer data,account data, portfolio data, and/or social networking data. In someaspects, user 110 may access, update, and/or modify portions of thestored customer profile data through a web page or other graphical userinterface (GUI) provided by system 140 and rendered for presentation byclient device 104. In other aspects, system 140 may execute softwareinstruction that dynamically modify and/or update user 110's customerprofile data based financial services transactions and other financialservices initiated and/or executed by system 140 on user 110's behalf.

In further aspects, user 110's customer profile data may includeinformation identifying one or more digital banking and investmentservices and programs associated with user 110 and/or user 110'saccounts (e.g., as held by the financial institution associated withbusiness entity 150). For example, user 110 may elect to participate inthe exemplary processes for automated, social-media-based entry andexecution of trade orders described below (e.g., as input provided to aweb page or other GUI presented by client device 104). In certaininstances, and in response to user 110's election, system 140 may updateuser 110's customer profile to include information indicative of user110's decision to participate in the exemplary automated,social-media-based trade order entry and execution processes.

In some embodiments, user 110's customer profile may also includeinformation identifying one or more preferences and/or settingsspecified by user 110 for the digital banking and investment servicesand programs in which user 110 participates. By way of example, system140 may provide, to client device 104 for presentation for user 110, oneor more selectable preferences and settings associated with theexemplary automated, social-media-based trade order entry and executionprocesses. For example, system 140 may enable user 110 to select (e.g.,through a web page or GUI provided by system 140 and presented by clientdevice 104) one or more social-media accounts that may be accessible tothe automated, social-media-based trade order entry and executionprocesses described below.

Further, through a web page or GUI provided by system 140 and presentedby client device 104, user 110 may specify that system 140 shouldinitiate execution of automatically entered trades having tradeparameters that fall within user-specified threshold values and/or thatinvolved predetermined securities (e.g., user-specified stocks, etc.).In other aspects, through the web page or GUI, user 110 may specifydefault values for one or more trade parameters associated with aproposed trade order. For example, user 110 may provide, as input to theweb page or GUI presented by client device 104, information identifyingone or more favorite accounts that fund and/or receive proceeds fromexecuted trade orders, and further, information mapping one or moreaccounts held by user 110 to corresponding hashtags or predeterminedelements of content, which may be included in social media messagesrequesting proposed trade orders. In certain aspects, system 140 maystore the user-established default values, favorites, and mappings aspreference data within data repository 144.

d. Exemplary Social Networking Systems

Referring back to FIG. 1, social networking system 160 may be acomputing system configured to execute software instructions to performone or more operations consistent with disclosed embodiments. In oneaspect, social networking system 160 may be associated with one or moreproviders 170 of social media and social networks (e.g., Twitter™,Facebook™, FourSquare™, Instagram™, Tumblr™, LinkedIn™, etc.). In someaspects, system 140 may be a distributed system that may includecomputing components distributed across one or more networks, such asnetwork 120, or other networks.

In some aspects, social networking system 160 may include computingcomponents configured to store, maintain, and generate data and softwareinstructions. For example, system 140 may include one or more computingdevices (e.g., a server, network computer, or mainframe computer) havingone or more processors that may be selectively activated or reconfiguredby executable instructions (e.g., computer programs) stored in one ormore tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage devices.

In one aspect, social networking system 160 may be configured tomaintain one or more social networks having members (e.g., individualsand entities) linked together through one or more member-establishedrelationships. By way of example, user 110 may be a user of a socialmedia network (e.g., Twitter™), and social networking system 160 may beconfigured to establish an application programming interface (API)through which social networking system 160 may receive social media dataand messages (e.g., tweets, retweets, direct messages, member profileinformation, query results, etc.) from member devices (e.g., clientdevice 104), and through which social networking system 160 maybroadcast social media data and messages (e.g., social media feeds) tomember devices at regular intervals or in response to polling requestsreceived from the member devices (e.g., as generated by a mobileTwitter™ app executed by client device 104). In certain instances,client device 104 may be connected to social networking system 160across network 120, may be configured to transmit and receive socialdata and messages in formats consistent with the social and/ormicroblogging network maintained by social networking system 160, andfurther, to present the received social media data through a web page orgraphical user Interface (GUI) associated with the social network (e.g.,the mobile Twitter™ app).

In other aspects, computing devices associated with various businessentities may access the API, and may monitor or “listen” to the socialmedia feeds broadcasted by social networking system 160 in order toidentify specific elements of the broadcasted social media feeds (e.g.,specific tweets, retweets, etc. of a Twitter™ feed broadcast by socialnetworking system 160) for subsequent processing and/or presentation tousers. By way of example, the financial institution associated withsystem 140 may request access to a Twitter™ feed broadcast at regularintervals by social networking system 160 in order to implement the oneor more of the exemplary automated, social-media-based trade order entryand execution processes outlined below.

Upon authentication of system 140 and/or the financial institution(e.g., business entity 150), social networking system 160 may providesystem 140 with information necessary to establish a connection with thesocial-media-feed API, and system 140 may be configured to receive theTwitter™ feed regularly broadcasted by social networking system 160 tomember devices. The broadcasted feed may, in some instances, includesocial media data and messages associated with all members havingpublicly available Twitter™ accounts, and as described below, system 140may be configured to filter the received data feed to identify messagesconforming to one or more criteria established by the financialinstitution, which include, but are not limited to, message type (e.g.,tweet or retweet), message content (e.g., inclusion of specific Twitter™hashtags and other keywords), and message format.

Although computing environment 100 is illustrated in FIG. 1 with clientdevice 104 in communication with systems 140 and 160, persons ofordinary skill in the art will recognize that environment 100 mayinclude any number of number of mobile or stationary client devices 104,and any additional number of computers, systems, or servers withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of the disclosed embodiments.Further, although computing environment 100 is illustrated in FIG. 1with a single business entity 150 and/or system 140, and a singlesocial-networking provider 170 and/or social networking system 160,persons of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that environment 100may include any number of additional number of business entities,social-networking providers, and corresponding systems, any number ofadditional servers and data repositories e.g., cloud-based datarepositories), and any additional number of computers, systems, servers,or server farms without departing from the spirit or scope of thedisclosed embodiments.

e. Exemplary Communications Networks

Communications network 120 may include one or more communicationnetworks or medium of digital data communication. Examples ofcommunication network 120 include a local area network (“LAN”), awireless LAN, a RF network, a Near Field Communication (NFC) network,(e.g., a “WiFi” network), a wireless Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)connecting multiple wireless LANs, NFC communication link(s), and a widearea network (“WAN”), e.g., the Internet. Consistent with embodiments ofthe present disclosure, communications network 120 may include theInternet and any publicly accessible network or networks interconnectedvia one or more communication protocols, including, but not limited to,hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) and transmission controlprotocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP). Communications protocols consistentwith the disclosed embodiments also include protocols facilitating datatransfer using radio frequency identification (RFID) communicationsand/or NFC. Moreover, communications network 120 may also include one ormore mobile device networks, such as a GSM network or a PCS network,allowing client device 104 to send and receive data via applicablecommunications protocols, including those described herein.

II. Exemplary Processes for Generating and Populating Trade Orders Basedon Social Network Data

In some aspects, as described above, client device 104 may execute oneor more stored applications that enable user 110 to interact with one ormore social networks. For example, user 110 may establish Twitter™account to follow not only friends and family, but also news providers(e.g., the Wall Street Journal™) and various business entities ofinterest to user 110. In some instances, user 110 may also hold aninvestment portfolio composed of stocks, bonds, and other securities(e.g., derivatives, etc.) associated with or issued by one or more ofthe followed business entities. By way of example, user 110's investmentportfolio may include common stock issued by Microsoft™, and user 110may also follow one or more Twitter™ accounts established by Microsoft™(e.g., Microsoft™ (@Microsoft™) and Microsoft News™ (@MSFTNews™) inorder to obtain real-time information that impacts the performance ofMicrosoft™ common stock.

As illustrated in FIG. 2A, while browsing through tweets presented byclient device 104 through an social-media interface 200 (e.g., a GUIassociated with the mobile Twitter™ app), user 110 may notice a tweet202 from the Wall Street Journal™ (@WSJ™) related to a presentation ofMicrosoft™'s latest updates to their gaming platform. User 110 mayselect tweet 202 (e.g., by touching, tapping, or otherwise selecting thepresented tweet within the GUI), and may view additional information 212indicating that Microsoft™'s new entries into the gaming market seek toboost sales and overcome rivals. Based on this information user 110 maydecide to purchase additional shares of Microsoft™ common stock inanticipation of a potential bump in share price due to Microsoft™'supdated gaming system.

a. Conventional Trade-Order Entry and Generation Processes

To purchase the additional shares of Microsoft™ using conventional andexisting trade-order entry and generation processes, user 110 must closethe GUI associated with the mobile Twitter™ app, and must access a webpage or other GUI associated with user 110's financial institution(e.g., business entity 150). Upon accessing the web page of other GUI,user 110 provides authentication information into client device 104, andin response to verification from system 140, client device 104 maypresent a trade-order interface that enables user 110 to specifyparameters required to complete the purchase of the shares of Microsoft™common stock. System 140 may receive the specified trade parameters fromclient device 104, and may transmit a trade order based on the specifiedtrade parameters to an electronic trading system of the financialinstitution, which executes the purchase of the Microsoft™ common stockin accordance with the specified trade parameters and rules andregulations of the financial institution and a corresponding exchange.

Thus, to purchase the desired shares of Microsoft™ common stock viaconventional and/or existing trade-order entry and generation processes,user 110 exits the mobile Twitter™ app on client device 104, andaccesses a digital trading portal provided by user 110's financialinstitution (e.g., through a web page or GUI presented by client device104), and further, manually inputs the trade parameters into the digitalbanking portal to initiate the purchase of the desired shares ofMicrosoft™ common stock. This process is cumbersome and time-consuming,especially when performed on mobile devices with touchscreen displays oflimited size and variable connectivity to network 120. Furthermore, dueto rapidly changing market conditions, the time required to switchapplications and manually input the desired trade parameters may impactuser 110's ability to purchase the Microsoft™ common stock at thedesired share price. Thus, there is a need for improved systems andmethods that not only speed the entry of trade parameters intocorresponding trade-order interfaces, but that also closely integratethe entry process with sources of market information, such as socialmedia.

b. Exemplary Processes that Automate Trade-Order Entry Based onSocial-Network Interaction

The disclosed embodiments address these and other problems associatedwith conventional trade-order entry and generation processes in atechnical manner, by providing computer-implemented systems and methodsthat automate an entry of a trade order on behalf of a customer, andadditionally or alternatively, that automate an execution of the enteredtrade order, based on the customer's interaction with one or more socialnetworks (e.g., Twitter™, Facebook™, FourSquare™, LinkedIn™, etc.). Forexample, a customer (e.g., user 110) may access an account on a socialnetwork (e.g., a Twitter™ account) through a web page or a graphicaluser interface (GUI) presented by client device 104. User 110 mayidentify a social media message (e.g., a “tweet”) involving a particularcompany or business entity of interest, and user 110 may desire toexecute a transaction to purchase or sell securities associated with theparticular company or business entity.

User 110 may, for example, provide input to client device 104 thatforwards the identified social media message to system 140 through thesocial network (e.g., by “retweeting” the identified tweet) along withtrade parameters and predetermined content indicative of user 110'sinterest in a purchase of or sale of the securities (e.g., a hashtag orother specific content parseable by system 140). In certain aspects,described below in reference to FIG. 3, system 140 may monitor a datafeed associated with the social network (e.g., data broadcast by socialnetworking system 160 through a corresponding API) to identify theforwarded message, and may process the forwarded message toautomatically populate a trade order for the desired purchase or sale ofsecurities, which may be executed automatically or upon receipt ofconfirmation from user 110.

In one aspect, and as described above in reference to FIG. 2A, user 110may be associated with a corresponding Twitter™ account, and may viewtweet 202 (e.g., as presented by client device 104 within social-mediainterface 200) indicating that Microsoft™'s new entries into the gamingmarket seek to boost sales and overcome rivals. User 110's investmentportfolio may already include Microsoft™ common stock, and based on theinformation in tweet 202, user 110 may decide to purchase an additional100 shares of Microsoft™ common stock. In some aspects, and consistentwith the disclosed embodiments, user 110 may elect to “retweet” tweet202 to the financial institution with comments indicating user 110'sdesire to purchase the Microsoft™ common stock in accordance with one ormore specified trade parameters.

For example, user 110 may select icon 222 in FIG. 2A (e.g., by touchingor tapping a portion of a touchscreen display corresponding to icon 222)in order to access a retweet interface 240, which client device 104 maypresent to user 110. In some aspects, user 110's financial institutionmay establish specific content to be included within forwarded socialmedia messages to indicate, to system 140, that the forwarded socialmedia message includes a request to generate a proposed trade order. Forexample, within Twitter™, the financial institution may require thatuser 110 include “#Trade” within a tweet, retweet, or direct message tothe financial institution that represents a request to generate aproposed trade order.

The disclosed embodiments are, however, not limited to any particularhashtag, and in other embodiments, the financial institution may specifythe inclusion of any additional or alternate alpha-numeric hashtagapparent to one of skill in the art that enables system 140 to identifythe corresponding tweet, retweet, or direct message within the broadcastTwitter™ feed. Furthermore, the disclosed embodiments are not limited tosocial media messages generated and forwarded within the Twitter™network, and in other aspects, the financial institution and/or system140 may assign additional content that identifies requests to generateproposed trading orders included within social media messages forwardedto the financial institution other social networks (e.g., Facebook™,FourSquare™, LinkedIn™, etc.).

By way of example, and as noted above, user 110 may desire to purchase100 shares of Microsoft™ common stock after viewing the tweet 202.Referring to FIG. 2B, user 110 may provide input to client device 104(e.g., through a virtual keypad, spoken commands, etc.) that includes“#Trade” within comment region 242 of retweet interface 240, andfurther, that specifies an instruction to “Buy 100 shares of Microsoft.”In some aspects, user 110 may select icon 244 (e.g., by touching ortapping a portion of a touchscreen display corresponding to icon 244) toretweet the tweet 202 to the financial institution (e.g., via “#Trade”)with the user-specified instructions to purchase 100 shares ofMicrosoft™ common stock. In response to user 110's selection of icon244, client device 104 may generate retweet data that includes thespecified hashtag (i.e., “#Trade”), the instructions to purchase the 100shares of Microsoft™ common stock (i.e., “Buy 100 shares of Microsoft”),which may be transmitted to social networking system 160 across network120 using any of the communications protocols outlined above. Socialnetworking system 160 may, in some aspects, be configured to receive theretweet data transmitted by client device 104 and include the retweetdata in a corresponding Twitter™ data stream, which may be broadcast tomember devices and other subscribing systems at regular intervalsthrough the corresponding Twitter™ API.

c. Flow Diagrams and Further Examples of Exemplary Processes forGenerating Trade Orders Based on Social Media Data

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of an exemplary process 300 for automaticallygenerating trade orders based on social media data, in accordance withdisclosed embodiments. In an embodiment, a user (e.g., user 110) mayaccess a social network though a device (e.g., client device 104), andmay provide input to client device 104 that forwards a social mediamessage related to a particular company or business entity to financialinstitution through the social network, along with informationidentifying one or more trade parameters and content indicating the user110's desire to initiate a transaction to purchase or sell securitiesassociated with the particular company or business entity. A systemassociated with the financial institution (e.g., system 140) may monitorsocial-media data broadcasted by a system associated with the socialnetwork (e.g., social networking system 160), and may identify theforwarded social media message based on the included content (e.g., ahashtag or other pre-established identifier). System 140 may beconfigured to parse the forwarded social media message to create aproposed trade order for the purchase or sale of the securities, and maybe configured to forward a confirmation request to user 110 thatincludes the proposed trade order over the social network. Upon receiptof the confirmation from user 110 (e.g., through an additional socialmedia message forwarded to the financial institution through the socialnetwork), system 140 may be configured to execute a transaction topurchase or sell the securities based on the proposed trade order, oralternatively, to generate a trade order based on the proposed tradeorder for subsequent review, approval, and execution by user 110.

Referring to FIG. 3, system 140 may be configured to receivesocial-media data feeds (e.g., Twitter™ data feeds) broadcast by socialnetworking system 160 (e.g., in step 302), and further, identify one ormore social media messages (e.g., Twitter™ retweets, tweets, and/ordirect messages) that include the specific content tags indicative ofrequests to generate proposed trade orders (e.g., in step 304). Forexample, and as described above, system 140 may subscribe to Twitter™data feeds broadcast to member devices and other subscribing systems atregular intervals through the corresponding Twitter™ API. The Twitter™data feeds, which may be received by system 140 in step 302, may includetweets, retweets, and/or direct messages generated by and directed tovarious Twitter™ accounts holders, such as individuals and businessentities.

In certain aspects, system 140 may, in step 304, process the receivedTwitter™ data to identify social media messages (e.g., tweets, retweets,etc.) that include the “#Trade” hashtag indicative of requests forgenerate proposed trading orders, and the identified messages may bestored for future analysis (e.g., in a portion of data repository 144).Each of the identified social media messages may, for example, beassociated with a corresponding timestamp indicative of a time and dateat which corresponding Twitter™ account holders transmitted the socialmedia messages to the financial institution. In some aspects, system 140may be configured to parse the social media messages to determine thecorresponding timestamp, and system 140 may queue the social mediamessages for subsequent analysis in accordance with the determinedtimestamps.

The disclosed embodiments are, however, not limited to techniques thatidentify social media messages within the Twitter™ data based on apresence of one or more hashtags associated with requests for generateproposed trading orders by the financial institution. In furtherembodiments, system 140 may identify social media messagesrepresentative of requests to generate proposed trading orders based ona format of the social media messages (e.g., the financial institutionmay specify that a social media message requesting a proposed tradeorder be formatted in a particular manner). In other aspects, system 140may access a list of customers of the financial institution (e.g.,customers who elected to participate in automated, social-media-basedtrade order entry and execution processes), and may identify socialmedia messages originating from accessed customer list for subsequentanalysis in step 304.

System 140 may be configured to select one of the identified socialmedia messages for analysis (e.g., in step 306). For example, system 140may select the social media message disposed at an initial positionwithin the queue and thus, associated with the earliest timestamp. Thedisclosed embodiments are not limited to these exemplary selectioncriteria, and in other embodiments, system 140 may select one of thestored social media messages for analysis based on any additional oralternate criterion apparent to one of skill in the art and appropriateto the social media messages, such as a user associated with themessage.

In some aspects, system 140 may be configured to parse the selectedsocial media message to identify a user associated with the message(e.g., a Twitter™ handle associated with user 110 and included withinthe selected social media message) and further, to identify one or moretrade parameters specified within the body of the selected social mediamessage (e.g., in step 308). In certain aspects, trade parametersconsistent with the disclosed embodiments may include, but are notlimited to: an identifier of a security (e.g., a name or a symbol); atype of transaction involving the security (e.g., a transaction topurchase and/or sell units of the security, adding the security to orremoving the security from a virtual investment portfolio, and/or addingthe security to or removing the security from a watchlist); a quantityof the security involved in the transaction, a price type for thetransaction (e.g., a best price available on a market, a specified priceto buy or sell the security, and/or an instruction to system 140 totransmit a corresponding trade order to the market (e.g., at the best orspecified price) only after the security has traded through auser-specified threshold (e.g., stop orders, trailing stop orders.etc.); information specifying whether a corresponding trade order shouldbe sent to a market for execution after an occurrence of a triggeringevent (e.g., conditional and/or contingent orders); a period of validityfor a corresponding trade order; and other special instructions that areused by certain exchanges or marketplaces that dictate either thetreatment of a corresponding trade order (e.g., all-or-none orders,etc.) and/or a relationship between user 110 and the security (e.g.,insider status).

Further, in additional aspects, the selected social media message mayinclude information specifying one or more accounts and/or account typesthat provide funds facilitate an execution of proposed trade order (e.g.to purchase securities) and/or that receive funds from an executed tradeorder (e.g., to sell securities). For example, and using any of theexemplary techniques described above, user 110 may provide input toclient device 104 that specifies an account and/or account type withincomment region 242 (e.g., an account name, or a specific hashtag (suchas #AcctUSMargin or #AcctCADRRSP) mapped by user 110 to a correspondingaccount during a registration process), which system 140 may store in aportion of data repository 144.

For example, as described above in reference to FIG. 2B, user 110 mayhave retweeted a prior tweet that included comments (e.g., within region242) requesting a purchase of 100 shares of Microsoft common stock(e.g., as depicted in FIG. 2B). System 140 may, in certain aspects,process the retweet in step 308 to identify a Twitter™ handle associatedwith user 110 (e.g., “@user110”) and to determine that user 110requested a proposed trade order for a purchase of 100 shares ofMicrosoft™ common stock at a current market price.

The disclosed embodiments are, however, not limited to processes thatparse user-specified comments associated with a retweet or other socialmedia message. In other embodiments, system 140 may be configured toparse not only comment data entered by user 110, but also other textualand/or graphical portions of the retweet or other social media messageto extract trade parameters (and additionally or alternatively,parameters of other transactions or actions involving one or moresecurities).

For instance, as illustrated in FIG. 2C, user 110 may view (e.g.,through a web page or GUI presented by client device 104) tweet 202)from the Wall Street Journal™ (@WSJ™) related to a presentation ofMicrosoft™'s latest updates to their gaming platform. In some aspects.As described above, user 110 may elect to purchase additional shares ofMicrosoft™ common stock, and may thus “retweet” tweet 202 to system 140through the social network along with trade parameters and predeterminedcontent indicative of user 110's interest in a purchase of or sale ofthe securities (e.g., a hashtag or other specific content parseable bysystem 140). By way of example, as depicted in FIG. 2C, user 110 mayprovide input to client device 104 that includes “#Trade” within commentregion 242 of retweet interface 240, and further, that specifies aninstruction to “Buy 100.”

In some aspects, system 140 may identify and select the retweet as asocial media message requesting a proposed trade order (e.g., in steps304 and 306), and may parse the retweet to extract one or moreparameters of the proposed trade order (e.g., in step 308). For example,in step 308, system 140 may parse the retweet to identify a Twitter™handle associated with user 110 (e.g., “@user110”) and to determine atype of transaction (e.g., a purchase) and a share quantity (e.g., 100shares) associated with the proposed trade order. As described above,user 110 may specify these determined trade parameters by providinginput to client device 104 for inclusion within comment region 242(e.g., as illustrated in FIG. 2C).

In further aspects, in step 308, system 140 may parse additionalportions of the retweet to identify additional parameters of theproposed trade order. For example, system 140 may parse textual contentwithin the retweet to identify a name and/or symbol of a security (e.g.,textual content 260 identifying Microsoft™) for the proposed tradeorder. In other instances, in step 308, system 140 may be configured toapply one or more optical character recognition (OCR) processes tographical and/or video content within the retweet (or other selectedsocial media message) to identify additional or alternate parameters ofthe proposed trade order. In further aspects, user 110 may provide inputcausing client device 104 to capture an image of a UPC code, QR code,and/or other two-dimensional code, which may be included within theretweet or other social media message, and further, which may be parsedby system 140 to identify a corresponding identifier of one or moresecurities for inclusion within the proposed trade order. Further, andby way of example, system 140 may process audio content within theretweet (or other selected social media message) in step 308 to identifyadditional or alternate parameters of the proposed trade order.

In further aspects, system 140 may parse the selected social mediamessage (e.g., the retweet of prior tweet 202) to identify common wordsthat may be representative of values of one or more trade parameters.For instance, system 140 may parse the selected social media message toidentify a presence of “long” or “short,” and may further associate thepresence of “long” or “short” with a transaction to purchase or sellsecurities. In other instances, and as described above, system 140 mayparse a retweet to identify a company name (e.g., Apple™) and/or a nameof a popular product or service (e.g., iPhone™), and based on theidentified company, product, and/or service name, device a correspondingsymbol for a security associated with the proposed trade order (e.g.,AAPL for shares of Apple™ common stock).

In further aspects, system 140 may parse the selected social mediamessage to identify specific words or combination of words (e.g., $20for a limit price, a day-for-a-day order, 100 for the quantity,buy/sell, etc.) to populate the transaction fields of the proposed tradeorder. Additionally or alternatively, system 140 may parse the selectedsocial media message to identify one or more hashtags (e.g., #Trade,#Watch, #Virtual, etc.), which system 140 may associated withcorresponding actions and/or transactions involving one or moresecurities (e.g., transactions to purchase and/or sell securities,adding securities to a watchlist, adding securities to a virtualinvestment portfolio, etc.).

Additionally, and as described herein, system 140 may substitute defaultvalues for one or more trade parameters (e.g., as established by user110, system 140, a financial institution, and/or business entity 150),and incorporate the substitute default values into the proposed tradeorder. For example, if upon parsing the selected social media message orretweet, system 140 were unable to identify a price type for thetransaction, system 140 may establish the price type as the best marketprice. Additionally or alternatively, if system 140 were unable toidentify an expiration of the proposed trade order and/or account data,system 140 may substitute corresponding default values (e.g., a “good'til day” order for the expiration, a favorite account for the accountdata, etc.) within the proposed trade order.

Upon parsing the selected social media message, system 140 may verifythat user 110 is a customer of the financial institution and further,that user 110 elected to participate in automated, social-media-basedtrade order entry and execution processes (e.g., in step 310). In someaspects, system 140 may access profile data associated with one or morecustomers of the financial institution (e.g., as stored in datarepository 144, above), and may compare the identified Twitter™ handleagainst the accessed customer profile data to verify that user 110 is acustomer of the financial institution. System 140 may also determine,based on accessed profile data, whether user 110 elected to participatein automated, social-media-based trade order entry and executionprocesses

For example, system 140 may determine that “@user110” corresponds to aTwitter™ handle registered by a customer of the financial institutionand further, that the customer of the financial institution elected toparticipate in automated, social-media-based trade order entry andexecution processes. Accordingly, as the mobile Twitter™ applicationexecuted by client device 104 previously authenticated user 110, system140 may determine that user 110 is verified in step 310.

Further, in other instances, system 140 may determine, based on theaccessed customer profile data, that the Twitter™ handle “@user110” isnot registered by any customers of the financial institution.Alternatively, system 140 may determine that “@user110” corresponds to aTwitter™ handle registered by a customer of the financial institution,but the customer did not elect participate in automated,social-media-based trade order entry and execution processes.Accordingly, system 140 may not verify user 110 in step 310.

If system 140 were to verify that user 110 is a customer of thefinancial institution and that user 110 elected to participate in theautomated, social-media-based trade order entry and execution processes(e.g., step 310; YES), system 140 may determine whether the specifiedtrade parameters are sufficient to populate a proposed trade order(e.g., in step 312). By way of example, in step 312, system 140 may deemthe specified trade parameters as sufficient to populate the proposedtrade order when the specified trade parameters include values of an“essential” number of trade parameters, and additionally oralternatively, when system 140 may assign default and/or previouslyspecified values to at least the essential trade parameters.

In one aspect, system 140 may populate a proposed trade order withvalues of a number of trade parameters extracted from the selectedsocial media message (e.g., a retweet, etc,). In some instances, and asdescribed above, trade parameters consistent with the disclosedembodiments may include, but are not limited to, an identifier of asecurity (e.g., a name or a symbol), a quantity of units of thesecurity, a type of transaction associated with the proposed trade order(e.g., a purchase or a sale of the security), a price type associatedwith the transaction, an execution time for the transaction, a floorand/or ceiling price for individual units of the security or for thetransaction, information specifying whether a trade order should be sentto a market for execution after an occurrence of a triggering event, aperiod of validity for a trade order, and/or other special instructionsthat are used by certain exchanges or marketplaces that dictate eitherthe treatment of a corresponding trade order and/or a relationshipbetween user 110 and the security. Additionally or alternatively, and asoutlined above, the extracted trade parameters may also includeinformation specifying one or more accounts and/or account types thatprovide funds facilitate an execution of proposed trade order (e.g. thatpurchases securities) and/or that receive funds from an executed tradeorder (e.g., that sells securities).

In some aspects, as described above, however, the financial institutionmay establish that a subset of these trade parameters are essential togenerating the proposed trade order, and that the non-essential tradeparameters may be establish based on default values and/or valuesspecified within a corresponding customer profile. By way of example,the financial institution and/or system 140 may establish that the nameor symbol of the security, the quantity of the security, and the type oftransaction (e.g., a purchase or a sale), and the price type associatedwith the transaction represent essential parameters that must be presentwithin any request to populate a proposed trade order.

Further, in some instances, the financial institution may establishdefault values for non-essential trade parameters (e.g., the executiontime (e.g., as soon as possible) and the floor/ceiling prices (e.g.,none)). In other instances, the non-essential trade parameters mayinclude, but are not limited to, an account and/or account typesassociated with the transaction, information specifying whether acorresponding trade order should be sent to a market for execution afteran occurrence of a triggering event, a period of validity for acorresponding trade order, and/or other special instructions that areused by certain exchanges or marketplaces that dictate the treatment ofa corresponding trade order and/or a relationship between user 110 andthe security, for which system 140 may be configured to establishdefault values using any of the exemplary techniques described above. Insome aspects, system 140 may be configured to populate the proposedtrade order with the default values assigned to these non-essentialterms unless the access customer profile data indicates an alternatevalue.

For instance, system 140 may determine that the selected social mediamessage includes a request from user 110 to purchase 100 shares ofMicrosoft™ common stock. Further, based on stored data (e.g., in datarepository 144) and/or data accessible to system 140 across network 120,system 140 may also be configured to determine that the NASDAQ™ symbolfor Microsoft™ common stock is MSFT™. In some aspects, system 140 mayestablish that user 110's request for a proposed trade order specifiedthe name or symbol of the security (e.g., MSFT™), the number of units ofthe security (e.g., 100 shares), and the type of transaction (e.g., apurchase). Accordingly, system 140 may establish that the tradeparameters specified by user 110's request are sufficient to populate aproposed trade order.

If system 140 were to determine that the specified trade parametersinclude the essential trade parameters (e.g., step 312; YES), system 140may be configured to generate the proposed trade order in accordancewith the specified trade parameters (e.g., in step 314). For example, asdescribed above, user 110's social media message requested a purchase of100 shares of Microsoft™ common stock. In certain aspects, system 140may populate the proposed trade order with the symbol of the requestedsecurity (e.g., MSFT™), the number of units of the security (e.g., 100shares), and the type of transaction (e.g., a purchase). System 140 mayalso access user 110's customer profile data to determine whether user110 previously specified (e.g., within the preferences described above)a desired price type (and additionally or alternatively, an executiontime and a desired floor/ceiling) price that would override the defaultvalues previously established by the financial institution and/or system140.

By way of example, system 140 may determine that user 110's customerprofile data failed to specify a desired price type that would overridean established default value (e.g., a best price available on a market).System 140 may, in certain aspects, further populate the proposed tradeorder for the purchase of Microsoft™ common stock with the default pricetype (e.g., the best price available). Further, for example, system 140may determine that user 110's customer profile data specified neither adesired execution time nor a desired floor/ceiling price that wouldoverride the established default values. System 140 may, in certainaspects, further populate the proposed trade order for the purchase ofMicrosoft™ common stock with the default execution time (e.g., as soonas possible) and the default floor/ceiling prices (e.g., none).

Similarly, and as described above, user 110's social media message(e.g., the retweet of tweet 202 of FIG. 2A) may include predeterminedcontent (e.g., a hash tag, such as #AcctUSMargin or #AcctCADRRSP) linkedto corresponding account within stored user preference data (e.g.,within data repository 144). In some aspects, system 140 may identifythe predetermined content, access portions of the stored preference datamapping the predetermined content to a corresponding account (oraccounts) of user 110, and populate the proposed trade order with theinformation identifying the corresponding account. In other instances,when user 110's social media message fails to include any accountinformation, system 140 may populate the proposed trade order with a“favorite” account of user 110 (e.g., as specified by user 110 during aregistration process and stored by system 140 within data repository144), where proceeds of an executed trade order may be placed in anappropriate currency and/or that includes appropriate and sufficientfunds to facilitate an execution of a trade order. The disclosedembodiments are, however, not limited to the exemplary essential tradeparameters, exemplary non-essential trade parameters, and exemplarydefault values specified above. In further embodiments, the financialinstitution and/or system 140 may establish any additional or alternateessential trade parameters, non-essential trade parameters, and defaultvalues appropriate to the requested security and one or more back-endtrading systems associated with the financial institution and accessibleto system 140.

In certain aspects, system 140 may be configured to transmit anotification of the populated proposed trade order to client device 104for presentation to user 110 (e.g., in step 316). The notification may,for example, identify the populated parameters of the proposed tradeorder, and system 140 may be configured to provide the generatednotification to social networking system 160 as a social media messagedirected to user 110 (e.g., as a tweet to Twitter™ handle “@user110”).For example, as illustrated in FIG. 4A, system 140 may generate anotification 400 that specifies the populated parameters of user 110'sproposed trade order (e.g., “a purchase of 100 shares of MSFT at acurrent market price”), and further, prompts user 110 to confirm theaccuracy of the populated parameters and instruct user 110 to executethe trade order by replying to the notification with the text “CONFIRM.”In some aspects, if user 110 were satisfied with the populatedparameters of the proposed trade order (e.g., as outlined innotification 400 of FIG. 4A), user 110 may reply to notification 400with the text “CONFIRM,” which client device 104 may transmit to socialnetworking system 160 using any of the communications protocols outlinedabove.

System 140 may be configured to receive a response to the transmittednotification in step 318. For example, system 140 may receive a responseto the notification (e.g., notification 300 delivered to user 110 viaTwitter™) as a social media message received through social networkingsystem 160 in a corresponding social-media data feed, as describedabove. Alternatively, system 140 may receive the response to thetransmitted notification provided as input by user 110 through acorresponding web page or other interface associated with the financialinstitution, provided by system 140, and presented to user 110 by clientdevice 104.

If user 110 were to confirm the parameters of the proposed trade order(e.g., step 320; YES), system 140 may be configured to perform processesthat execute a trade order in accordance with the confirmed parametersof the proposed trade order (e.g., in step 322). By way of example,system 140 may establish communications with one or more back-end ordermanagement systems, and may provide the confirmed parameters of theproposed trade order to the one or more back-end order management andelectronic trading systems. In certain instances, the one or moreback-end order management and electronic trading systems may initiatethe trade order and purchase the 100 shares of Microsoft™ common stockon behalf of user 110.

In certain aspects, system 140 may be configured to transmit anotification of the executed trade order for the purchase of the 100shares of Microsoft™ common stock to client device 104 for presentationto user 110 (e.g., in step 324). As described above, system 140 may beconfigured to provide the generated notification to social networkingsystem 160 as a social media message directed to user 110 (e.g., as atweet to Twitter™ handle “@user110”).

System 140 may also be configured to determine whether additional onesof the identified and stored social media messages require analysis(e.g., in step 326). If system 140 were to determine that additionalsocial media message require analysis (e.g., step 326; YES), thenexemplary method 300 may pass back to step 306, and an additional one ofthe stored social media messages may be selected and analyzed using anyof the exemplary techniques outlined above. If, however, system 140 wereto determine that no additional social media messages require analysis,then exemplary method 300 is complete in step 328.

Referring back to step 320, if system 140 fails to receive aconfirmation of the parameters of the proposed trade order (e.g., step320; NO), system 140 may be configured to store information identifyingthe proposed trade order (e.g., in data repository 144). In certainaspects, user 110 may access a web page or other interface associatedwith the financial institution (e.g., as provided by system 140 andpresented by client device 104), and may view the stored trade orderwithin a corresponding portion of the web page or interface (e.g., user110's dashboard). User 110 may, for example, delete the stored tradeorder from the dashboard and additionally or alternatively, requestexecution of a trade order in accordance with the parameters of theproposed trade order using any of the exemplary techniques outlinedabove. Further, in additional aspects, system 140 may be able access thedashboard within the web page or interface and modify one or more of theparameters of the proposed trade order before requesting execution.Exemplary method 300 then passes to step 328, and system 140 may beconfigured to determine whether additional ones of the identified andstored social media messages require analysis, as described above.

Referring back to step 312, if system 140 were to determine that thespecified trade parameters do not include at least the essential tradeparameters (e.g., step 312; NO), system 140 may be configured toidentify the one or more essential trade parameters absent from thespecified trade parameters, and transmit a notification of thedeficiency to client device 104 for presentation to user 110 (e.g., instep 332). As described above, the deficiency notification may identifythe one or more missing essential trade parameters and further, mayprompt user 110 to provide the missing essential trade parameters tosystem 140 in a response to the deficiency notification.

In some aspects, system 140 may be configured to provide the generateddeficiency notification to social networking system 160 as a socialmedia message directed to user 110 (e.g., as a tweet to Twitter™ handle“@user110”). For instance, system 140 may determine that the specifiedtrade parameters identify a transaction type (e.g., a purchasetransaction) and a security name (e.g., Microsoft™ common stock havingsymbol MSFT™), but fail to identify a number of desired shares. Forexample, as illustrated in FIG. 4B, system 140 may deliver a deficiencynotification 440 to user 100 as a social media message (e.g., a tweetdelivered to client device 104 by social networking system 160) thatidentifies the missing essential parameter (e.g., the desired quantityof Microsoft™ common stock), and requests that user 110 retweet thedesired trade parameters in conjunction with the hashtag “#TRADE.”Referring back to FIG. 3, upon transmission of the deficiencynotification requesting the missing trade parameters, exemplary method300 may pass back to step 302, and system 140 may access and monitor oneor more feeds of social-media data received from social networkingsystem 160 using any of the exemplary techniques outlined above.

Further, and referring back to step 310, if system 140 were to determinethat user 110 is not a customer of the financial institution oralternatively, that user 110 is a customer of the financial institutionbut did not elect to participate in the disclosed automated,social-media-based trade order entry and execution processes (e.g., step310; NO), system 140 may be configured to discard the selected socialmedia message (e.g., in step 330). In some aspects (not depicted in FIG.3), system 140 may be configured to parse the selected social mediamessage to identify information identifying one or more securities(e.g., using any of the exemplary techniques outlined above), and mayadd the one or more securities to a virtual portfolio of user 110 and/oradd the one or more securities to a watchlist of user 110, and may tracka performance of the one or more securities within the virtual portfolioand/or the watchlist. In further aspects (not depicted in FIG. 3),system 140 may be configured to transmit, to user 110 using any of theexemplary techniques outlined above, a notification to user 110 thatinvites user 110 to become a customer of the financial institutionand/or to opt-in and participate in the disclosed automated,social-media-based trade order entry and execution processes. Exemplarymethod 300 may pass back to step 326, and system 140 may determinewhether additional ones of the stored social media messages requireanalysis, as described above.

In the embodiments described above, system 140, in conjunction withsocial network system 150 and client device 104, enable user 110 torequest population of proposed trade orders, view deficiencies inparameters specifying proposed trade order, confirm execution of tradeorders, and/or receive notifications of executed trade orders viasocial-media messaging protocols that do not require user 110 to accessa web page or other interface associated with the financial institution(e.g., as provided by system 140 and presented by client device 104).These embodiments enable user 110 to rapidly generate, confirm, andexecute proposed trade orders in response to information obtained fromreal-time information sources, such as social networks, without requirethe burden of traditional web-based trade-order entry processes. Inadditional embodiments, however, user 110 may elect to access a web pageor other interface associated with the financial institution (e.g., asprovided by system 140 and presented by client device 104) to view,confirm, and request execution of a proposed trade order within acorresponding portion of the web page or interface, such as user 110'sdashboard (e.g., in step 316 of FIG. 3), and additionally oralternatively, to view confirmations of executed trade orders (e.g., instep 324 of FIG. 3) and to view deficiency notifications (e.g., in step332 of FIG. 3).

In the embodiments described above, system 140 may be configured togenerate and transmit various notifications to user 110 as social mediamessages relayed through social networking system 160 to client device104. Depending on one or more privacy settings of user 110'ssocial-media account, the transmitted notifications may be visible tonot only user 110, but also to any individual or entity linked to user110 through the social network. For example, as described above in FIG.4A, system 140 may transmit a tweet to user 110 (e.g., to user 110'sTwitter™ handle “@user110”) confirming the parameters of the proposedtrade order. In some instances, depending on a privacy settingassociated with user 110's Twitter™ account, the transmitted tweet maybe visible to each of user 110's Twitter™ followers.

In some aspects, system 140 may configure social networking system 160to establish one or more privacy permissions for notifications generatedand transmitted as social media messages. For example, system 140 mayconfigure social networking system 160 e.g., through a correspondingAPI) to transmit the generated notifications as messages visible only touser 110 (e.g., as a “direct message” in Twitter™). Additionally oralternatively, system 140 may configure social networking system 160 tobroadcast generated notifications to group of users identified by user110 as being permitted to view the notifications (e.g., a trading groupestablished by user 110 in conjunction with social networking system160).

Further, as described above in reference to step 310 of FIG. 3, thedisclosed embodiments enable system 140 to verify user 110's identifybased on an initial authentication of user 110 by social networkingsystem 160 (e.g., as system 140 requires social networking system 160 toauthenticate user 110 before forwarding social media messages to thefinancial institution) and further, a presence of user 110's socialnetworking username or handle (e.g., user 110's Twitter™ handle“@user110”) within customer profile data maintained by system 140 withindata repository 144. The disclosed embodiments are not limited to theseexemplary verification techniques, and in further embodiments, system140 may rely on any additional or alternate techniques to verify anidentity of user 110 prior to populating a proposed trade order.

By way of example, system 140 may assign a particular alpha-numeric codeto user 110 as a “hashtag” or social-media password included in socialmedia messages forwarded to the financial institution in conjunctionwith comments requesting purchases or sales of securities. In certainaspects, and upon user 110's registration for digital banking orinvestment services, system 140 may generate and assign the social-mediapassword to user 110, and may provide the social-media password to user110 through out-of-band secure transmission (e.g., by postal mail). Forinstance, is user 110 were to request a purchase of securities byretweet, system 140 may require that user 110 include, within thecomments of the retweet, the hashtag “#Trade” to indicate the retweetrepresents a request to generate a proposed trade order, thesocial-media or hashtag password, and the requested trade parameters.

In some aspects, system 140 may parse the retweet upon receipt (e.g., instep 308 of FIG. 3) to identify not only user 110's Twitter™ handle andthe specified trade parameters, but also to obtain a hashtag orsocial-media password entered by user 110 (e.g., in region 242 of FIGS.2B and 2C). System 140 may be configured to access an existingsocial-media password assigned to user 110 (e.g., as stored within thecustomer profile data of data repository 144), and to compare theassigned social-media password against the social-media passwordobtained from the retweet to verify user 110's identity (e.g., in step310 of FIG. 3).

In further embodiments, client device 104 may be configured to performdevice-side authentication procedures before client device 104 forwardsa social media message requesting purchases or sales of securities tosystem 160. For example, a social-networking application executed byclient device 104 (e.g., a mobile Twitter™ app) may require a biometricauthentication of user 110 upon initiating a retweet with commentsrequesting purchases or sales of securities (e.g., a thumbprintvalidation performed by Apple™ Touch ID™). In some instances, clientdevice 104 may be configured to include information indicative of asuccessful biometric authentication within a header of the retweet,which system 140 may be configured to identify (e.g., in step 308 ofFIG. 3) and use to further verify user 110's identity (e.g., in step310). Further, in additional embodiments, system 140 may be configuredto verify user 110's identity in step 310 using any additional oralternate authentication techniques, such as out-band authenticationtechniques performed by existing systems associated with system 140 oraccessible to system 140 across network 120.

In the exemplary embodiments described above, system 140 may beconfigured to execute a trade order in response to a confirmation byuser 110 of a proposed trade order populated based on trade parametersspecified by user 110 in a social media message. In other embodiments,system 140 may not require confirmation from user 110, and may insteadimmediately execute a trade order based on a proposed trade order thatinclude sufficient trade parameters (e.g., step 312 of FIG. 3; YES) andfurther, conforms to one or more preferences of user 110 as set forth incustomer profile data maintained by system 140. By way of example, an inresponse to a successful generation of a proposed trade order (e.g., instep 314 of FIG. 3), system 140 may access stored customer profile datafor user 110. In certain aspects, system 140 may determine whether user110 specified that system 140 may automatically execute populated tradeorders without express confirmation, and if so, whether user 110 limitedthe automatic execution of proposed trade orders to those having tradeparameters that fall within user-specified threshold values (e.g.,user-specified floor and/or ceiling prices, etc.) and/or that involvedpredetermined securities (e.g., user-specified stocks, etc.).

For example, based on the accessed customer profile data, system 140 maydetermine that user 110 prefers automatic execution of proposed tradeorders when a total value of the transaction (including fees), fallswithin a US $10,000 limit. If system 140 were to determine that a totalvalue of the proposed trade order (e.g., the proposed trade order for apurchase of 100 shares of Microsoft™ common stock generated in step 314of FIG. 3) falls within the user-specific limit, system 140 may executea trade order based on the trade parameters set forth in the proposedtrade order without prior user confirmation (e.g., in step 322 of FIG.3) and transmit a notification of the executed trade order to clientdevice 104 (e.g., in step 324 of FIG. 3) using any of the exemplarytechniques outlined above.

In the embodiments described above, system 140 may generate a proposedtrade order based on data extracted from one or more social mediamessages generated by user 110 and transmitted to system 140 by clientdevice 104. For example, user 110 may provide input causing clientdevice 104 to retweet a prior tweet with an element of predeterminedcontent (e.g., a hashtag “#Trade”) that identifies the retweet as arequest for a proposed trade order and causes system 140 to parse theretweet to extract trade parameters for inclusion within the proposedtrade order using any of the exemplary techniques described above. Thedisclosed embodiments are, however, not limited to transactions topurchase and/or sell securities in accordance with parameters extractedfrom social media messages, and in other embodiments, user 110 mayinclude predetermined content within social media messages (e.g.,hashtags within retweets) that cause system 140 to perform other actionsinvolving one or more securities based on parameters extracted from thesocial media messages.

For example, user 110 may provide input to client device 104 thatincludes “#Virtual” within a retweet (e.g., within a comment region 242of retweet interface 200 of FIGS. 2B and 2C). In certain aspects, andupon transmission of the retweet to a corresponding social network,system 140 obtain the retweet using any of the exemplary techniquesdescribed above, and based on the presence of “#Virtual” within theretweet, determine that the retweet represents a request from user 110to add one or more securities to a virtual portfolio held by user 110.Using any of the exemplary techniques outlined above, system 140 mayparse the obtained social media message (e.g., the retweet) to identifyinformation identifying one or more securities for inclusion in thevirtual portfolio and one or more of the trade parameters (e.g., asdescribed above), and may modify portions of stored data to establishthe one or more securities within user 110's virtual portfolio inaccordance with the identified trade parameters. In some aspects, whilethe virtual account of user 110 may operate in a manner similar to oneor more of user 110's actual investment accounts, a balance associatedwith the virtual account is not convertible an equivalent value in adenominated currency. Further, virtual accounts consistent with thedisclosed embodiments may include fewer account properties designed toprotect the ownership of the value of comparable actual investmentaccounts, such as ownership, tax treatment, power of attorney, tradingauthority, etc.

In other aspects, user 110 may provide input to client device 104 thatincludes “#Watch” within a retweet (e.g., within a comment region 242 ofretweet interface 200 of FIGS. 2B and 2C). Upon transmission of theretweet to system 140 through a corresponding social network, system 140obtain the retweet using any of the exemplary techniques describedabove, and based on the presence of “#Watch” within the retweet,determine that the retweet represents a request from user 110 to add oneor more securities to a watchlist maintained by system 140 on behalf ofuser 110. Using any of the exemplary techniques outlined above, system140 may parse the obtained social media message (e.g., the retweet) toidentify information identifying one or more securities for inclusion inthe watchlist and one or more of the trade parameters (e.g., asdescribed above), and may modify portions of stored data to establishthe one or more securities within user 110's watchlist in accordancewith the identified trade parameters.

In certain instances, the stored data establishing the watchlist (orwatchlists) of user 110 may include a subset of the data required toestablish user 110's virtual investment portfolio (e.g., a watchlistname, the list of securities being followed and the current marketprice/other market data). In other aspects, however, watchlist dataconsistent with the disclosed embodiments and maintained by system 140may include additional data that provides functionality similar to thatof user 110's practice account (e.g., a quantity of the securities,sentiment information (e.g., user 110's view of whether the securitieswill appreciate or depreciate in value), information indicative of user110's intention to buy or sell one of the securities, a market price atwhich one or more of the securities were added to user 110's watchlistby system 140, and/or performance data indicative of a performance ofone or more of the securities since their addition to the watchlist andcorresponding profits/losses against user 110's prediction).

The disclosed embodiments are, however, not limited to actions thatinclude adding securities to virtual portfolios and adding securities towatchlists. In further embodiments, user 110 may provide input to clientdevice 104 that adds predetermined content and/or hashtags to socialmedia messages and retweets indicative of request by user 110 to performadditional or alternative actions involving one or more securities, suchas charting a performance of the one or more securities and/orgenerating a quote for the one or more securities.

Further, although the described in terms of particular social networks(e.g., Twitter™), the disclosed exemplary embodiments are not limited toany particular social network. In additional embodiments, the exemplaryautomated, social-media-based trade order entry and execution processesdescribe above may operate in conjunction with any additional oralternate social network apparent to one of skill in the art andaccessible to system 140 through social networking system 160,including, but not limited to, Facebook™, FourSquare™, LinkedIn™,Tumblr™, and Instagram™.

Various embodiments have been described herein with reference to theaccompanying drawings. It will, however, be evident that variousmodifications and changes may be made thereto, and additionalembodiments may be implemented, without departing from the broader scopeof the disclosed embodiments as set forth in the claims that follow.

Further, other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the artfrom consideration of the specification and practice of one or moreembodiments of the present disclosure. It is intended, therefore, thatthis disclosure and the examples herein be considered as exemplary only,with a true scope and spirit of the disclosed embodiments beingindicated by the following listing of exemplary claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus, comprising: at least one processor;and a memory storing executable instructions that, when executed by theat least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform thesteps of: obtaining a first social-media message comprising a retweet ofa second social-media message, the first social-media message beingassociated with a social-networking account of a user and beinggenerated by a device of the user; extracting, from the first socialmedia message, data identifying at least one parameter of an actioninvolving one or more securities; generating proposed parameters for theaction, the proposed parameters comprising the at least one parameterextracted from the first social-media message; receiving, from the userdevice, information confirming the proposed parameters; and generatingone or more electronic commands to initiate the action involving the oneor more securities in accordance with the confirmed parameters.
 2. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein: the first social media message comprisesat least one predetermined hashtag; and the executed instructionsfurther cause the at least one processor to perform the steps of:receiving social-media data from at least one social-networking server,the social-media data comprising a plurality of candidate social mediamessages; detecting an occurrence of the at least one predeterminedhashtag within a corresponding one of the candidate social-mediamessages; and establishing the corresponding candidate social-mediamessage as the first social-media message.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein: the action comprises a transaction to at least one of purchaseor sell the one or more securities; and the at least one parametercomprises one or more trade parameters; the proposed parameters compriseone or more proposed trade parameters; and at least one of the tradeparameters or the proposed trade parameters comprises at least one of anidentifier of the one or more securities, a type of transaction, aquantity of the one or more securities, a price type, a triggering eventinitiating a transfer of a trade order to a market, a period validity ofthe trade order, instructions associated with the market, or an accountassociated with the trade order.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3, whereinthe executed instructions further cause the at least one processor toperform the step of transmitting, to the user device, informationconfirming an execution of the transaction to purchase or sell the oneor more securities, the information causing the user device to presentan alert to the user that confirm the execution.
 5. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein: the action comprises an addition of the one or moresecurities to at least one of a virtual portfolio held by the user or awatchlist associated with the user; and the executed instructionsfurther cause the at least one processor to perform the steps of:accessing stored data associated with the at least one of the virtualportfolio or the watchlist; and modifying at least a portion of thestored data to include information identifying the one or moresecurities.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the first social mediamessage includes textual data, the textual data comprising the at leastone parameter; and the executed instructions further cause the at leastone processor to perform the step of parsing the textual data to extractthe at least one parameter from the first social media message.
 7. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein: the first social media message includesgraphical data; and the executed instructions further cause the at leastone processor to perform the step of processing the graphical data toextract the at least one transaction parameter from the first socialmedia message.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the executedinstructions further cause the at least one processor to perform thesteps of: transmitting, to the user device, a first message comprisingthe proposed parameters, the first message causing the user device topresent information identifying the proposed parameters to the userthrough a corresponding interface; and in response to the transmittedfirst message, receiving, from the user device, a second messagecomprising the information confirming the proposed parameters.
 9. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the executed instructions further causethe at least one processor to perform the steps of: determining that theat least one parameter includes at least a predetermined set ofparameters, the predetermined parameters comprising at least one ofnames of the one or more securities, symbols of the one or moresecurities, a transaction type, or quantities of units of the one ormore securities; and in response to the determination, generating theproposed parameters based on the social media message.
 10. The apparatusof claim 9, wherein the executed instructions further cause the at leastone processor to perform the steps of: determining that the at least oneparameter fails to include the predetermined set of parameters; inresponse to the determination, identifying one or more of thepredetermined parameters that are absent from the at least oneparameter; and transmitting, to the user device, information requestingthat the user provide the absent ones of the predetermined parameters,the Information causing the user device to present, to the user, analert identifying the absent ones of the predetermined parameters. 11.The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second social media message isgenerated by a device of an additional user, the additional user beingdifferent from the user associated with the social networking account.12. A computer-implemented method, comprising: obtaining, by at leastone processor, a first social-media message comprising a retweet of asecond social-media message, the first social-media message beingassociated with a social-networking account of a user and beinggenerated by a device of the user; extracting, by the at least oneprocessor, and from the first social media message, data identifying atleast one parameter of an action involving one or more securities;generating, by the at least one processor, proposed parameters for theaction, the proposed parameters comprising the at least one parameterextracted from the first social-media message; receiving, by the atleast one processor, and from the user device, information confirmingthe proposed parameters; and generating, by the at least one processor,one or more electronic commands to initiate the action involving the oneor more securities in accordance with the confirmed parameters.
 13. Themethod of claim 12, wherein: the first social media message comprises atleast one predetermined hashtag; and the obtaining comprises: receivingsocial-media data from at least one social-networking server, thesocial-media data comprising a plurality of candidate social mediamessages; detecting an occurrence of the at least one predeterminedhashtag within a corresponding one of the candidate social-mediamessages; and establishing the corresponding candidate social-mediamessage as the first social-media message.
 14. The method of claim 12,wherein: the action comprises a transaction to at least one of purchaseor sell the one or more securities; and the at least one parametercomprises one or more trade parameters; the proposed parameters compriseone or more proposed trade parameters; and at least one of the tradeparameters comprises at least one of an identifier of the one or moresecurities, a type of transaction, a quantity of the one or moresecurities, a price type, a triggering event initiating a transfer of atrade order to a market, a period validity of the trade order,instructions associated with the market, or an account associated withthe trade order.
 15. The method of claim 14, further comprisingtransmitting, to the user device, information confirming an execution ofthe transaction to purchase or sell the one or more securities, theinformation causing the user device to present an alert to the user thatconfirm the execution.
 16. The method of claim 12, wherein: the actioncomprises an addition of the one or more securities to at least one of avirtual portfolio held by the user or a watchlist associated with theuser; and the method further comprises: accessing stored data associatedwith the at least one of the virtual portfolio or the watchlist; andmodifying at least a portion of the stored data to include informationidentifying the one or more securities.
 17. The method of claim 12,wherein: the first social media message includes textual data, thetextual data comprising the at least one parameter; and the extractingcomprises parsing the textual data to extract the at least one parameterfrom the first social media message.
 18. The method of claim 12,wherein: the first social media message includes graphical data; and theextracting comprises processing the graphical data to extract the atleast one transaction parameter from the first social media message. 19.The method of claim 12, further comprising: transmitting, to the userdevice, a first message comprising the proposed parameters, the firstmessage causing the user device to present information identifying theproposed parameters to the user through a corresponding interface; andin response to the transmitted first message, receiving, from the userdevice, a second message comprising the information confirming theproposed parameters.
 20. The method of claim 12, wherein generating theproposed parameters comprises: determining that the at least oneparameter includes at least a predetermined set of parameters, thepredetermined parameters comprising at least one of names of the one ormore securities, symbols of the one or more securities, a transactiontype, or quantities of units of the one or more securities; and inresponse to the determination, generating the proposed parameters basedon the social media message.
 21. The method of claim 20, whereingenerating the proposed parameters further comprises: determining thatthe at least one parameter fails to include the predetermined set ofparameters; in response to the determination, identifying one or more ofthe predetermined parameters that are absent from the at least oneparameter; and transmitting, to the user device, information requestingthat the user provide the absent ones of the predetermined parameters,the information causing the user device to present, to the user, analert identifying the absent ones of the predetermined parameters. 22.The method of claim 12, wherein the second social media message isgenerated by a device of an additional user, the additional user beingdifferent from the user associated with the social networking account.23. A system, comprising: a first computing device that receivessocial-media data from at least one social-networking server across acommunications network, the social-media data comprising a plurality ofsocial media messages; a second computing device in communications withthe first computing device, wherein the second computing devicecomprises: at least one processor; and a memory storing executableinstructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, causethe at least one processor to perform the steps of: detecting anoccurrence of at least one predetermined hashtag within a first one ofthe social-media messages received by the first apparatus, the firstsocial-media message being associated with a social-networking accountof a user; and extracting, from the first social media message, dataidentifying at least one parameter of an action involving one or moresecurities; generating proposed parameters for the action, the proposedparameters comprising the at least one parameter extracted from thefirst social-media message; receiving, from a device of the user,information confirming the proposed parameters; and generating one ormore electronic commands to initiate the action involving the one ormore securities in accordance with the confirmed parameters.